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Urban tree management

We inspect and maintain around 120,000 trees in our streets, parks and gardens.

On this page:

Urban Tree Management Policy

As urban development increases and vegetation on private land decreases, the providing and protecting of trees in public areas will become increasingly important.

The Urban Tree Management Policy provides a consistent approach to the management of urban trees by the City. The policy aims to protect existing trees from development and to clearly define the circumstances under which public trees may be removed.

Urban Tree Management Policy

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Urban Tree Management Guidelines

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Tree protection guidelines

Most trees will take many years, if not decades, to establish but are frequently compromised or irreversibly damaged by activities that do not adequately consider the requirements a tree needs to survive and grow.

The City has adopted the Australian Standard (AS 4970) for the protection of trees on development sites and as the principal means of protecting its own trees.

If the tree protection measures in these guidelines can't be met, please contact one of our arborists to arrange a site visit on:

[email protected]

1300 002 642

Tree management program

All urban trees managed by the City are inspected and maintained on a regular cycle by qualified arborists. The Proactive Tree Management Program is divided into 17 zones, each of which is inspected and works programmed as required at least once every four years. Trees within the city centre and in high profile parks and gardens are inspected annually.

Tree maintenance requests

Our in-house crews and contractors manage and prioritise tree works and maintenance requests and clean up after storm events. 

To ask about tree inspections or request tree maintenance, planting, pruning or stump removal use our online form or contact Customer Service on 1300 002 642

Request tree maintenance form

Trees and electrical line clearance

The City maintains vegetation clear from electrical wires and conductors within the Urban Declared Area according to the Electricity Safety Act 1998 and the Electricity Safety (Electric Line Clearance) Regulations 2020.

The distribution company is responsible for electrical line clearance outside of the Urban Declared Area.

Our management plan states how we will:

  • Protect significant vegetation
  • Prune trees to industry standards to protect infrastructure and tree health
  • Provide a safe work place for employees
  • Create aesthetically pleasing roadside vegetation

Elm tree management

The City is responsible for managing approximately 3,600 historic Elms in parks, gardens and road reserves across Greater Bendigo. We protect the City's Elms from Elm Leaf Beetle by applying a series of soil injections around the base of the trees every second year. 

The City does not treat Elm trees on private property.